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Does a new airport at Rosebud help with economic recovery?
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By JON M. HUNTER, Publisher
| 05/19/2009 |
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We were taken aback by two press releases Tuesday morning, when Sen. Tim Johnson and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin separately announced $4.1 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would be used to build a new airport for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.
The Act, also known as the stimulus bill, is intended to spend money to help the United States recover from the recession. At least in theory, the idea was to re-employ laid-off workers to construct or repair important infrastructure improvements, like roads, bridges and energy projects. The bill also has provisions for unemployment benefits, federal tax relief and money to the states to help them balance their own budgets.
While there is no question that airports can be considered infrastructure, we question the value of building a new airport on the Rosebud reservation. This is an area that is considered among the poorest parts of the country, where alcoholism and poverty are pervasive, education is substandard and healthcare quality is questioned.
So the best way to spend $4.1 million there is on a new airport?
Since many tribal members don't have enough money to buy a used car or the gasoline for it, we would guess that there are a limited number of private or corporate airplanes at Rosebud.
Herseth Sandlin's announcement indicated that a new airport would "allow for enhanced economic development opportunities in Indian Country." Unfortunately, it isn't the lack of a new airport that is keeping economic development opportunities from the Rosebud reservation. Serious barriers like jurisdictional authority, workforce training and contract enforcement are reasons why economic development doesn't work on reservations.
Fortunately, there are other provisions in the stimulus bill that will help construct schools, detention centers and roads across reservations. But every $1 million wasted on projects like this airport is another $1 million that could have much more impact in another way.
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©Madison Daily Leader 2009
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